“You are saying she summoned me?”
“Yes. She said she wished to see you and ordered me to escort you to her.”
The Mage bowed his head.
The golden robe and the Light Energy emanating from him.
He was undoubtedly a Mage of the Light Magic Faction and one of Nerva’s followers.
‘Nerva definitely sent him.’
Nerva was Rodos’s second eldest sister.
She was a Mage who primarily wielded Light-Attribute Magic and led the Light Magic Faction, one of the factions within the House.
“This is troublesome….”
Rodos found the situation inconvenient.
His siblings taking an interest in him was not what he wanted.
‘The news has already spread.’
Apparently, word that he had completed a Gold Mission had already begun circulating.
As though he had anticipated Rodos’s reaction, the Mage smiled.
“Lady Nerva merely said that she wished to have a cup of tea with her younger brother. There is no need to feel too burdened by it.”
Rodos did not answer immediately and thought for a moment.
‘I still do not want to become involved with anyone.’
Rodos had no desire to form close ties with anyone in the House.
Of course, meeting someone once would not immediately create such a relationship.
But things might become troublesome if his other siblings learned of it.
What he wanted was indifference.
Only then could he quietly continue developing his strength.
However, he knew very well that this was no longer possible.
‘How contradictory.’
Rodos smiled at himself.
His thoughts and actions contradicted each other.
If he had truly wanted to increase his strength quietly, he should never have fought Harka or chosen a Gold Mission.
“Very well. Let us go.”
“Please follow me. She is waiting for you.”
With no other choice, Rodos followed the Mage.
Everything that was happening was a consequence of his own actions.
Taking responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions was only natural for a human being.
Of course, the fact that Nerva was the one who had summoned him also played a part in his decision.
‘The most reasonable one.’
Rodos recalled the memories of the original owner of this body.
Among the blood relatives of the House, who cared only about improving their magical abilities and protecting their own interests, Nerva had been the only one who seemed genuinely humane.
‘Nerva was also the one who gave me medicine.’
Even after the accident, when the rest of the House had shown nothing but indifference, Nerva alone had shown concern and given him medicine.
‘I cannot tell.’
But he would know once they met.
He would find out why she had summoned him and what intentions lay behind it.
***
Rodos stopped in front of a building.
Although it was not as large as the House’s main manor, it was still considerable in size.
As befitted Nerva’s high Family Ranking, she possessed an independent residence of her own.
“You came, little brother.”
Nerva, who was sitting on a sofa, raised a hand and greeted him.
Nerva was a cold-looking woman with an unusual bob of golden and red hair that fell to her shoulders, sky-blue eyes that symbolized the Direct Bloodline, and pale skin that contrasted with the warmth of her hair.
“This is the first time we have met like this.”
Nerva smiled.
Although her features gave her a cold impression, when she smiled, she radiated a warmth reminiscent of sunlight.
“Greetings, Lady Nerva.”
Rodos bowed respectfully.
For some reason, it simply felt like the proper thing to do.
They were siblings, but the age difference between them was considerable.
Rodos was the thirteenth child, while Nerva was the second.
In the North, showing respect to one’s elders was only natural.
“I am surprised to see you acting so formally.”
Nerva laughed.
He truly had changed.
‘He does not avoid my eyes.’
In the past, Rodos had been so frightened that he could not even meet her gaze, much less stand confidently before her.
Yet now, he stood straight with two axes strapped to his back.
“Why did you summon me?”
“Why do you not sit down first?”
Nerva smiled and glanced toward the sofa.
It was an invitation for him to sit.
Rodos took a seat.
‘I cannot read her intentions.’
Rodos could not tell what Nerva wanted.
It had been a long time since he had met someone whose true thoughts he could not discern from their expression.
POUR.
As soon as Rodos sat down, a Servant approached and poured tea.
The subtle fragrance of herbs spread through the air.
“I heard you killed the Deathfrost Dragon. Congratulations.”
‘She already knows.’
Nerva even knew the contents of his mission.
It had only been a matter of time before the other siblings learned, but she had obtained the information remarkably quickly.
“To be honest, I was surprised. When I heard that you chose a Gold Mission, I thought someone might have threatened you into doing it.”
Nerva took a sip from her teacup.
“But that was not the case. You completed the mission as though to prove everyone wrong. That made me curious. How did you do it?”
Her eyes sparkled.
It was genuine curiosity.
“I targeted its weakness and killed it.”
Rodos answered immediately.
It was the plain truth, without exaggeration.
“I see.”
Nerva nodded.
She did not press him any further.
Judging by Rodos’s expression, she suspected he would not reveal anything more even if someone put a spell to his throat.
“Did you summon me simply because you were curious?”
“That is part of it, but….”
Nerva paused briefly before revealing the real reason.
“The reason I called you here is because I was worried about you.”
At that moment, the coldness in Nerva’s expression melted away and was replaced by a bright smile.
‘She means it.’
Only then could Rodos sense Nerva’s sincerity.
He found it strange.
To think someone like her existed in such a cold and ruthless family.
Of course, he could not be completely certain.
In this place, the only person Rodos could truly trust was himself.
“The way you changed so drastically after the accident seemed strange to me. It was something I could not explain with my knowledge of magic.”
Nerva’s expression became cold again as she carefully studied Rodos.
“No matter how powerful an Elixir or Enhancement Magic you use, it is impossible to develop your body as much as you have in only a few months.”
Rodos thought she was correct.
He knew he could never have developed this far without the training method that utilized Aether.
“I could only reach one conclusion. I wondered whether you had gotten involved with Black Magic. Perhaps you traded your soul in exchange for that body. Did you use Black Magic?”
“No.”
Rodos answered firmly.
No meant no.
Strengthening one’s body through Black Magic….
It was the worst possible method.
‘That is something only cowards would do.’
“That is a relief. I wondered whether Kaiser might have had something to do with it.”
Nerva smiled.
Seeing how firmly Rodos rejected the very notion seemed enough to convince her.
“Until now, everyone has kept their distance from you. But now that you have completed a Gold Mission, there is no telling what might happen or where it might come from.”
“I am aware.”
Rodos knew that very well.
It was only a matter of time before the rumors spread.
The weak youngest child who had possessed no particular ability had first won a Duel and then successfully completed a Gold Mission.
There was no chance that his siblings and the other members of the House would fail to take an interest in him.
“So I want to make you an offer. How would you feel about joining my faction? There is no need to feel pressured.”
The Light Magic Faction led by Nerva was the smallest faction in terms of sheer size.
They were known to have little interest in the House’s power struggles and to focus almost exclusively on researching Light-Attribute Magic.
Furthermore, because Nerva, who ranked third in the Family Ranking, stood at its head, the other factions could not recklessly interfere with them.
“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline.”
Rodos rejected it immediately.
He had no desire whatsoever to join a faction.
He was a warrior.
What would a warrior accomplish by surrounding himself with Mages?
‘It would only hinder me.’
It would only obstruct his path toward a higher Realm.
“I thought you would say that.”
Nerva merely smiled as though she had expected his answer.
He really had changed.
The frail youngest brother of the past was gone.
“I have something for you.”
She took something from inside her clothes and tossed it toward Rodos.
“Catch.”
Rodos caught it reflexively and immediately realized it was a key.
“Why are you giving me a key?”
“There is an abandoned place within the House. It used to be a laboratory, but after an accident occurred there, it was left untouched. The House simply sealed it and abandoned it. Space is one thing we have plenty of, so leaving one place unused did not matter. I took possession of it because I thought I might have a use for it someday. That is the key. Do you not need a place of your own?”
“I do.”
Rodos nodded.
He could not continue training at the Training Grounds forever.
Too many people could see him there.
There were undoubtedly members of the Knight Order, like Kradil, who maintained close ties with people from the House.
‘I need to conceal my training.’
He now needed a private space.
There was no reason to freely provide information to the rest of the House.
Furthermore, all of Rodos’s other siblings possessed their own laboratories or training facilities.
Rodos alone had never had one.
“What is the price?”
Rodos asked.
Magic manifested by offering Mana as its price.
Transactions were therefore something entirely natural to Mages.
“The price… Have a meal with me whenever I ask.”
“That is enough?”
“Yes.”
Nerva nodded.
She smiled brightly as though that truly was all she wanted.
Rodos could sense no Mana or any other energy from her.
‘What a peculiar person.’
It was difficult to believe she belonged to this House.
Of course, he would continue observing her before drawing any conclusions.
“Oh, I left a small present there for you as well. You can look forward to it.”
“I will make good use of it. Thank you.”
“You did not even hesitate. You really have changed.”
Nerva muttered as she watched Rodos leave.
Anticipation showed on her face.
‘Watching him from now on should be entertaining.’
***
A secluded area on the outskirts of the House.
Rodos used the key to unlock the abandoned laboratory.
CLACK.
The key turned smoothly, and the door opened.
WHOOSH.
Beyond it, a staircase descending underground was revealed.
A foul stench drifted upward from the stairs, whose depth could not be determined.
‘I can sense them.’
Rodos drew his tomahawks.
Chimeras would be waiting for him at the bottom of those stairs.
Chimeras.
Hybrid creatures created through Magic or Alchemy by combining multiple living beings.
Their power and intelligence varied depending on which creatures had been combined to create them.
Rodos knew these characteristics from the memories of the original owner of this body and from knowledge he had heard during his days as the Great Warrior.
‘I need to stay alert.’
Rodos tightened his grip on his tomahawks.
This would be his first time fighting Chimeras.
One had to concentrate even more carefully when facing something for the first time.
The less one knew, the harder it was to respond to unexpected variables.
STEP. STEP.
Rodos descended the staircase.
With each step he took, Magic Lamps illuminated the way ahead.
The foul stench grew stronger as he approached the laboratory.
At the bottom of the stairs, Rodos opened the firmly sealed iron door.
SCREEECH.
The sound of scraping metal echoed as pitch-black darkness greeted him.
Rodos focused all of his senses.
He had no idea what might emerge.
“GRRRRK!”
“!”
At that moment, a monstrous growl echoed out.
Dozens of gleaming eyes within the darkness turned toward Rodos at once.